Tumtum tree
by Pandasweets
Summary: For every person who leaves, there are always people left behind, but the lives of the people left behind don't stop there. They continue. So in this fashion, Baldroy's life continues. But he is no longer human...
1. Chapter 1

**Hi hi! I would just like to say that the title has nothing at all to do with Alice in Wonderland or this story... It was and is a name chosen on the spur of the moment. I hope you derive some enjoyment from this story! :)**

**Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji does not****,unfortunately,**** belong to me.**

**Prologue  
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At first glance, my child does not resemble the young master at all. After all, where the young master was mercurial, Benjamin is warm and affectionate. Where the young master went into delirium (near-delirium, that is) at the mere sight of a cake crumb, Benjamin prefers savoury foods. Where the young master's uncovered eye had been a compressed ocean, Benjamin's eyes are nothing at all like that. And where... Oh, darn it, I'm getting off-track.

So anyway, perhaps after an hour or two with Benjamin, you might begin to see the resemblance he shared with the young master, with all children, regardless of age, social status or gender. There is that innocence, that naturally _pure _feeling that children give out. But... perhaps that innocence that Ciel Phantomhive had was marred by that black butler, that _demon_. Don't get me wrong, the state of the mind and soul can be two quite different things. And now, after much reflection, I don't hold a grudge against Sebastian. Even though what he had wanted to do to the young master, _my _young master would have been considered cannibalism had he been a human. But he was not, and I do not think that he would actually have... consumed the young master's body. Who am I to talk anyway? I'm not even a human myself anymore...

...

Ugh, why do I keep being so digressive? I meant to say that the young master visited today! Of course with Sebastian at his side, as always. He still didn't look a day over thirteen... Which isn't surprising, according to my dear wife Taelyn, because turning into a demon means that all of your growth hormones are suppressed. This results in the "ageless" appearance of demons. Apparently, the only thing that _could _grow was stuff like fingernails and hair.

...

How do I, Baldroy Phantomhive (yes I did take on the Phantomhive name at the young master's behest to "keep the family name alive" or something like that), know that Sebastian and the young master are demons, you ask?

Don't be so rude! I'm not as dumb as you think me to be! (Even though I'm always portrayed as a bit thick headed)

WHAT WAS THAT? You said that's because I am? Why you... I've matured, okay?

Anyway do you want to hear what happened after the young master got turned into a demon (although I didn't know it at that time) or not?

...

Well I suppose you do... So here goes nothin'!

**So, how was it? Review and tell me! :)**


	2. Chapter 2: In the Past I

**Hello again! Chapter two here is set after Ciel got turned into a demon in the anime. It's told in Bard's POV, but not all future chapters will be from his POV.  
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**Enjoy! **

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_Baldroy's POV_

I stared at the butler badge, uncomprehending. For the past year or so, through everything that had occurred, I had unfailingly seen it on one person: Sebastian. Now it had been transferred to another lapel. Although the current bearer of the Phantomhive family's butler badge was no less worthy of it, it still felt strange to see it on another person besides Sebastian. Seeing it on Tanaka, I felt the surreal atmosphere the young master's departure had left behind die down and settle itself into icy, hard reality. It was like coming off a coffee high. Except that in this case it was an emotional high.

I finally realized the significance of Sebastian returning the butler badge to Tanaka: _Sebastian had resigned._

I watched Finny close his eyes in silent acceptance. It was heartrendingly uncommon of Finny to display such emotional restraint and not break down in sobs. Somehow, this only made the lump in my throat swell even more, and I felt the soreness of impending tears burning in my nose.

I was no stranger to tears, having experienced more than my fair share of lifeless eyes and unmoving lips that would not respond to my desperate pleas for them to _stay._ What use was crying now, when the young master had left and did not seem to be planning to return? He was hale and healthy and in good hands after all. Though Sebastian's surrender of the butler badge meant he had resigned as the Phantomhive family's butler, that did not mean he had resigned as _Ciel's _butler, and I trusted that he would take care of the young master.

I tilted my head upwards to stop myself from crying. Mey-Rin inclined her head downwards, trying to hide the tears that I knew she had shed behind those opaque glasses of hers. We were not only grieving for the loss of our young master but also for Sebastian, our beloved butler who had never failed to clean up the "utter and complete destruction" we left in our wakes as he had once termed it.

A lone scalding droplet of liquid grief made its way out of my eye only to meet its end as I roughly swiped it away with the back of my hand.

Speaking of Sebastian, I couldn't help but notice the resigned yet bitter expression he had worn on his face when we were seeing the young master off.

...

Who peed in his coffee?

...

I felt sorry for the person who pissed him off.

I hoped it wasn't me.

...

Well anyway thinking of Sebastian had distracted me from the gravity of the situation.

What were Finny, Mey-Rin and I going to do now that we had no job?

And what about the Funtom company?

"You, Finny and Mey-Rin are free to do as you please, Baldroy. As for the Funtom Company, Young Master has left the running of the company to me, but I will gladly welcome you on-board if you wish to join the company. And you would reside in the Phantomhive mansion, unless you have other residences in mind," Tanaka said. Jeez, how had he read my mind?

...

I had said my thoughts out loud, hadn't I?

My attention was drawn to Finny as he shook his sea-green eyes free of tears and nodded to Tanaka, saying, "Yes, I want to join the Funtom Company! I can't imagine leaving the mansion!"

Tanaka smiled gently. "Alright, now that that's settled, how about you Mey-Rin? And you, Baldroy?"

"Erm..." I said very intelligently.

Mey-Rin did not hesitate to accept Tanaka's offer, but I was not so sure. Should I join the Funtom Company? I was never one for all the administrative-type jobs. I couldn't imagine sitting at an office desk all day doing nothing but fiddling around with papers.

I was pulled out of my reverie by Mey-Rin taking off her glasses and whispering, "Who's that?"

I squinted and could just barely make out the outline of a formation of people all dressed in some fancy-ass suits.

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**No offense to people who do work in offices in an administrative position! I have nothing against papers, its just that I can't imagine Bard as an administrative worker. Can you? Oh! Do you think Bard's full name should be spelled as "Bardroy" or "Baldroy"? Tell me what you think! :)**


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